Manchester Orchestra at The Regency, SF, 9/16

Manchester Orchestra sold out The Regency Ballroom last Saturday as they continued their A Black Mile to the Surface tour. You could feel the immense presence of the crowd, not just from everyone’s body heat insulated by the venue, but also from each fan’s audible excitement. Despite Manchester Orchestra’s current run to celebrate their fifth studio album, the Atlanta-based indie rockers performed tracks from all parts of their catalog, keeping the audience head over heels.

Manchester Orchestra opened up with three tracks off ABMTTS: “ The Maze,” “The Gold,” and “The Moth.” Mellow and folk-inspired, the stage glowed with orange and yellow lighting that really set a nostalgic mood. They followed with some older favorites like “Shake it Out,” “Pensacola,” “I’ve Got Friends,” and “Simple Math,” which instantly transformed the venue into a full-blown rock show. Occasionally, Ben Walsh from opening band Tigers Jaw would take the stage, sometimes on guitar, sometimes on shakers.

For the encore, Manchester Orchestra capped off the night with “I Can Feel a Hot One” and “The Silence.”

Supporting Manchester Orchestra were Foxing and Tigers Jaw, two bands well-loved in the current pop punk scene. Both groups brought great energy to warm up the crowd, playing notable favorites like Foxing’s “Rory” and Tigers Jaw’s “Chemicals” and “Plane vs. Tank vs. Submarine.”